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Chapter 03
As soon as he heard those words, Shane immediately understood what Neya was talking about.
‘I heard a catshia ran away recently.’
If she had been close to that catshia, it made sense that she looked so drained.
“……”
After a moment of hesitation, Shane finally spoke.
“Well, if it’s a young catshia, it might be dangerous for them to travel alone……”
Before he could even finish, Neya’s eyes filled with tears.
At the sight, looking like she might burst into tears at any moment, Shane hurriedly continued.
“Not that it’s certain! I’m not saying that for sure.”
“Then……?”
“I just heard that your friend isn’t an ordinary catshia. Humans, if they’re mages, can live independently just fine. And that child is also a catshia on top of that, so they probably aren’t in any particular danger. Don’t worry too much.”
“……!”
Neya’s face brightened instantly. With just those words, she seemed completely reassured.
“Right? Huu is really good at magic too! And super fast at running!”
“Yes, yes.”
As if she had never been gloomy in the first place, Neya immediately regained her energy from Shane’s response.
Kids are so easy to deal with, Shane thought quietly as he watched her happily start chattering again.
Of course, whether something is truly “not dangerous” only applies once they’ve reached an age where they can properly judge things.
Shane subtly averted his gaze from Neya and looked out the window.
Honestly, what were the chances that such a young catshia could survive alone? But he didn’t bother saying that out loud.
The atmosphere in the mansion was already grim enough—he didn’t need to add another person radiating dark feelings into it.
“……”
Thinking about the other person in the mansion, Shane’s expression turned worried.
It was an order he had no choice but to carry out, so he was bringing the child there—but how long could such a fragile kid endure by that duke’s daughter’s side?
He was full of concern.
The journey to their destination was longer and more exhausting than expected, so by the time they arrived at the mansion, a considerable amount of time had passed.
“Neya.”
Shane gently tapped the sleeping Neya to wake her.
“……!”
Neya’s eyes snapped open immediately.
“Have we arrived?”
“Yes.”
The moment she heard that, Neya flung open the carriage door and jumped out without hesitation. Shane was momentarily taken aback by her lack of caution.
Meanwhile, Neya ran forward with an excited expression.
A noble mansion!
There was only one reason she was so thrilled.
Nobles live in big castles like princesses!
They wear pretty dresses and eat lots of delicious food! If I get adopted soon too, that would be great!
Young catshia who dreamed of adoption often gathered and shared hopeful stories like that.
It wasn’t entirely wrong. Most nobles who visited catshops took catshia as companions for their young children. Very rarely, some were even adopted and raised as nobles themselves.
So Neya couldn’t help but feel excited.
She ran forward full of anticipation—but then—
…What is this……
At the sight before her, Neya’s expression quickly turned to disappointment.
“Neya. It’s dangerous to wander around here carelessly since there are few people nearby.”
Shane, who had followed behind her, lightly admonished her. But Neya didn’t hear a word of it.
The mansion in front of her was not a princess-like castle at all—it was an old two-story building that looked worn down.
Above all, it stood in the middle of an empty forest with not a single person around. It didn’t look like a place a noble would live in at all.
“Is this the duke’s mansion……?”
“No, of course not.”
Shane immediately denied it at Neya’s words. There was no way this plain house was the Heartless Duke’s mansion.
He took a key from his pocket and opened the door. Seeing that, Neya felt disappointed all over again.
A noble residence should have knights guarding the entrance in droves. Even catshops had security to protect catshia. But here, there was nothing like that.
Trying to hide her disappointment, Neya stepped inside.
Contrary to its shabby exterior, the interior was surprisingly well-kept.
It wasn’t the luxurious mansion she had imagined, but the cozy, warm atmosphere made her expression brighten slightly.
She looked around curiously and asked Shane,
“Um, where are the servants who work here?”
“……?”
Shane answered awkwardly.
“Maid servants come a few times a week to do chores, but today isn’t one of those days. I’m the only staff member here.”
“Eh? I thought noble houses had maids and knights and stuff?”
“……”
Only then did Shane realize.
She really came here knowing nothing……
A sense of helplessness washed over him. He had assumed Alex had explained at least something, but Neya seemed to have no understanding of the situation at all.
It might be troublesome if she started crying and insisting on going back after hearing the truth, but it was better to explain before she met her.
With that thought, Shane spoke.
“There’s something I need to make clear, Neya.”
“Yes?”
“This isn’t a noble mansion.”
“……?”
Neya’s eyes widened.
“I wasn’t being adopted into the duke’s house?”
“It seems there was some misunderstanding in the process. It is true that you were adopted by the young lady of the ducal family, but she is in a situation where she cannot live in the ducal estate. So she is currently staying in this house.”
“W-why?”
Shane smiled faintly.
“She was kicked out for doing something bad.”
“……”
“I was actually just about to introduce you to her. Come this way.”
Shane casually led the stunned Neya along.
They soon arrived at a room on the first floor.
After knocking twice, Shane opened the door.
“……”
Seeing the scene inside, Shane let out a sigh. Since Neya was behind him, she couldn’t see inside yet and only looked confused at his reaction.
“Excuse me for a moment……”
Shane stepped into the room alone.
At that moment, the door didn’t fully close, leaving a small crack. Unable to resist her curiosity, Neya peeked through the gap.
Despite it being daytime, the room was dark because all the curtains were drawn.
The first thing she saw was empty alcohol bottles rolling across the floor.
Following the bottles upward with her gaze, Neya saw a woman collapsed over a table.
“Young lady.”
Shane tapped her shoulder.
Only then did the woman lift her head. Long golden hair spilled down.
She was so beautiful it felt completely out of place in the messy surroundings. Each time she blinked, her golden eyelashes fluttered gently.
Wow……
She had just woken up, looking disheveled, but in Neya’s eyes, she was the most beautiful person she had ever seen.
Shane scolded her.
“Drinking on an empty stomach again? Do you want to die young?”
“Shut up. If you’re going to nag, get lost……”
The woman cursed in a drowsy voice. Shane seemed used to it and didn’t care much.
“……”
Then her red eyes suddenly turned toward Neya.
She spoke one sentence.
“What is that?”
Her tone carried no interest at all.
“I told you before. It’s the duke’s gift.”
Shane pulled the curtains wide open. Sunlight instantly filled the room.
The woman scoffed and brushed her hair back.
“Hah. You kicked me out because I might harm the family, and now you’re calling me a gift?”
Whatever she said, Shane ignored it and began clearing away the scattered bottles.
“Please at least send a thank-you letter. You’ll need to make a better impression if you want to return to the estate.”
“I’d rather rot and die here than crawl back to that place.”
As soon as she finished speaking, she looked away again. She gave Neya no interest whatsoever.
“If it’s a gift or whatever, make me something to cure a hangover. My stomach’s turning.”
“Leave that to the maids.”
Shane gathered the bottles and headed toward the door.
Before leaving, he said,
“At least say hello. You’ll be living together from now on.”
“How ridiculous.”
The woman sneered immediately.
“I’ll be back soon, Neya.”
Shane signaled to her, as if telling her it was okay to enter the room.
After he left for the kitchen, Neya finally hesitantly stepped inside.
“……”
The woman rested her chin on her hand and stared at her blankly. Her expression was completely indifferent.
Neya fidgeted with her hands, nervously tugging at her clothes again and again.
Then she met the woman’s eyes clearly.
And, with a flushed face, she said one word:
“Mom!”
